FLIGHT.
NOVEMBER II, 1937.
The best-known previous experi ment : A Bristol Scout which took
off from the big Porte " Baby '' fly ing boat at Felixstowe during the
War.
The Short-Mayo Scheme
Recalls Experiments in
the Past
By H. J. C. HARPER,
A.M.Inst.C.E., A.F.R.Ae.S.
THE trials of the Short-Mayo composite aircraft which are now in progress lend interest
to experiments which have
been made in the past with other
composite machines.
One scheme of particular inter
est consisted of a small biplane, the
Bristol Scout, carried on the top
wing of a flying boat.
During the opening years of the
Great War the German Zeppelins
carried out a ceaseless patrol of the
North Sea and maintained such a
constant watch that it became diffi
cult for ships of the Royal Navy to
operate without full details of their
movements being reported to
authorities.
The area of patrol, was out of range of aeroplanes oper
ating from the English coast, and the flying boats of the
period, although they had the range, had not the speed
and climb to bring the hostile airships to action except
in most favourable circumstances. It was thought that if
a light single-seater could be conveyed to the patrol area
by a flying-boat, it could be detached upon sighting a
Zeppelin; its superior performance would then enable it to
engage the enemy with a good chance of success.
Preparations were therefore made at the R.N.A.S. ex
perimental seaplane station at Felixstowe to put this plan
into operation. A Bristol Scout single-seater (80 h.p.
Gnome engine), which weighed about 1,195 1D-> ha(* a
speed of 100 m.p.h. and could climb 1,000 feet a minute,
was chosen as the fighter or upper unit. The lower com-
The carefully conceived scheme of to-day : The Short-Mayo
composite aircraft. (Flight photograph.)
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COMPOSITE
HISTORY
the German naval ponent was the big Porte " Baby " flying boat, which had
been designed at Felixstowe under the direction of
Sqn. Cdr. Porte in an endeavour to improve on the
"America " type of boat in service. This boat had been
completed towards the end of 1915, and was originally
fitted with Sunbeam engines ; at a later date the centre
engine was changed to a Green driving a pusher airscrew.
At the time of the experiment three Rolls-Royce Eagles
were fitted, two driving tractor airscrews and the centre
one a pusher. The maximum weight was 18,600 lb. and
the top speed 85 m.p.h.
The Bristol Scout was secured in its housing on the top
centre section by a pair of crooks over the axle, the wheels
resting in a shallow trough; a quick-release hook was
attached to the rear end of the fuselage. For the test the
weight of both the flying boat and the aeroplane was kept
as low as possible, little military load and fuel being
carried.
Fit. Lt. M. J. Day was the pilot of the Bristol. The
flying-boat was piloted by Sqn. Cdr. Porte, with Fit. Lt.